Training A Tremere
by eye of the divine
Summary: An insight into Tremere training
1. Chapter 1

_Yet again this is another RP that has been converted to a fiction written by myself and Emma. We really hope you enjoy the story, due to the length of this one we've decided to make it into chapters to space it out a bit better._

 _Training A Tremere - written by Emma and Lucy_

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Reluctantly Keres sat up straighter in her chair sensing that Lyle was not done with her quite yet. Her pale hands gripped onto the severed hand's fingers tighter, she seemed to be using it as a line to ground herself and concentrate on what he was about to say, Rufus left the room at his dismissal, she barely heard his voice over the pang of guilt she felt that he had to see such a brutal act. He had done nothing wrong.

"..I'm sorry, can you say that again please?" Keres felt her arms tremble slightly as she poured her energy into focusing on his words. The limb resting carefully in her hands was as cold as she was but the texture was as alien as could be expected for Gargoyle hide. It was smooth like stone but supple as flesh.

Lyle stared and shrugged. He was watching her reactions closely, observing as she tried to shake away the trauma of what she had witnessed. A part of him believed she wouldn't survive or if she did her mind would never be as it used to be.

"Training, but not the one you already had. If you wish to survive, you have to appreciate every aspect of self you have. And for it to happen I'll break you every one of those. You surely have noticed that I am not like any other Regent out there already..."

There was a slight pause before Keres replied, but the more he spoke and engaged with her the easier she seemed to find it to reciprocate. The fog in her mind finally beginning to clear away, time had no concept, she could hear them talking, knew how close she had come to meeting final death.

"I believe that would be prudent at this point, I would be grateful if you could spare the time...No, you're definitely not like the others." As she spoke she lifted her head to look at him instead of gazing off into the void, it was the first time she had done so since her return from the other Chantry.

Lyle nodded in acknowledgement. Griffin certainly didn't chose to embrace someone too stupid, which was a good sign. What Keres lacked in physical prowess she made up for in other ways, there was at least some hope for her. After another pause between the Regent and Apprentice he broke the silence once more.

"I'm far worse. Alright, let's go. I don't believe Griffin told you about the old chantry, so this is a good opportunity. We'll need...silence." The words were cryptic for the younger Tremere but she did not question him.

After a moment she nodded in agreement and stood looking around for a set of shoes, she placed the hand on a lamp table next to the chair before pulling her jacket on; it had not moved since she had been placed in the room. Kersten could see her shrug slightly at his comment about being worse.

"Maybe, but you survive." Without further comment Keres followed him out the door willingly mirroring his footsteps.

"Gargoyle revolts were far more of a hassle before, only very few chantries keep them, and those who do are harsher on them by fear of rebellion. Rufus has no reason to rebel, however a small reminder is always useful. Here, as you've noticed, nobody expects anything from this chantry, so there is no reason to pressure on him for important Tremere plots to take over..." He walked out of the Regent Grande's room she had occupied, placing both hands in his pockets without much thought behind the action.

"This chantry's members survive since I'm in charge because I do not expect any of you to "do" anything. Just to remain loyal, stay safe. That and arranging the rooms in Feng Shui obviously keeps the energy flowing nice and easy without any unnecessary stress." Regent Kersten continued to speak as they walked willing to keep the conversation going even if his partner was a little more mute than himself.

That last part was obviously a troll, but running the chantry like some high-tech start up surely allows those living there to feel better even Keres had benefited from how Lyle had run things in his reasonably long tenure as Regent.

It was difficult to miss Keres' eyes roll at the idea that treating Gargoyles badly would make them less inclined to revolt. Such ideas in her mind would surely have the opposite effect, and she did nothing to hide her thoughts on the matter as she spoke up.

"Then they're idiots. That was a bit more than small...He is treated well here, not like the others were. Did Larz survive after you cleaved his hand away?" Keres kept herself to herself nodding every so often to show she was listening but her mind had crept back to the one Gargoyle that had been kind to her, that had assisted her when she needed it most.

"Nope. No matter how stupid they are, they're the masters and they were the servants. The Clan doesn't tolerate insubordination, unless you succeed in your coup. Here." He opened the chantry's door to lead outside into the cool crisp air, and began walking down towards the old chantry. For masquerade purposes and to be able to talk without being too loud, he offered his arm to her, without even looking in her direction.

Keres took his offered arm, stepping closer and quickening her pace to keep up with his, she didn't really pay their closeness much attention either the more she showed it bothered her the more he would do it if experience was anything to go by.

"Shame, he found me that room." She spoke in a very detached manner but it was obvious Larz meant something or she would not have asked. If her Regent was listening he chose to change the topic of conversation without much warning.

"These techniques are only used here, at least to the extent you'll have to go through. Are you afraid?" His question caught her off guard, she didn't know what she felt and her face gave very little away. At a guess Regent Kersten would have assumed that she had always been a person to guard herself around others; it just came so naturally to the red-headed woman.

"No, I'm confident in your abilities." The response passed her lips without hesitation, if he didn't know any better he would have thought she hadn't given it much thought. As quickly as Lyle had changed the topic he switched it back to the previous one once more.

"Maybe it didn't agree on the other's actions. Choices had to be made. I suppose they were lucid enough to know their enemy." Keres wasn't certain if she liked his use of 'it' when referring to her friend, the use made Larz sound like less than a person when in her mind that certainly was not the case. He spoke his next words a little lower, as though imparting some great secret to her.

"If it eases your mind, I give quick and efficient deaths. And you shouldn't be so confident, I am not sober." He gestured over when they arrive at the Big Bell. Keres had walked past the place many times before, the architecture was stunning the ancient build still standing tall and true even after all this time. Emblazoned upon it was the city's coat of arms, dimly in the back of her mind she recalled it being a prison that thought amused her greatly now that she knew it had in fact been a chantry, the old ways had some living like prisoners and the comparison was far too close to not tickle at her dry humour.

"It does comfort me strangely enough..." His comment on his sobriety elicited a slight smirk but he wasn't paying much attention to notice it. "It will at least make for an interesting learning curve." She added after a moment lost in her own thoughts, though where they took her Keres still could not recall.

"Truth always come out from a drunken mouth, uh. I'm high most of the time, it's a necessary evil. Don't tell the others they might want to hold an intervention..."As the Regent spoke he opened the door to the old chantry by putting a hand on a particular part of the wall, some visibly supernatural lights guide the two along the pitch corridor.

The pair followed the light, it had a very slight blue tinge and seemed to know where they needed to go. Lyle didn't insist she part from him, as they walked he kept the conversation going choosing to further Keres' limited knowledge a little on the Clan's local history.

"This place was built when the "House and Clan Tremere" was still mostly "House". From the Mage order." Keres observed in silence, Lyle could tell he had her full attention even if she seemed distant.

"How long ago was that? Dark ages? Is the church apart of the Chantry as well?" He had finally managed to pique her curiosity, it was good she spoke, the more her brain engaged the easier it became to draw herself back to the here and now.

"No, not that old. Most of it, church and bell were restored over the centuries anyway. But these inside walls here are.. Thirteenth century, maybe. This will be the room we'll work in." He came to a halt before an old double wooden door which seemed in perfect working order, she recognised the markings which identified it as the old tutoring room.

"The church is the 'public' part of the chantry." He continued to speak as he ushered her inside. Keres' iridescent gaze travelled along the cold untreated stone, it had been shaped perfectly to make the Divine Proportions. Wards had been placed across the walls, and as her eyes made their way across she spied chains on the adjacent wall. Between them and the door was a wooden table and laid upon it were old rusted instruments.

"So was it was around the time the Royal Gate of the Cathedral was built.." Her palm trailed along a wall as her eyes took in the room."..Is the church monitored much?"

"Hm-hm.. Same architects probably. The church is monitored, I'm good friends with the priests." A distinct clicking sound could be heard as he closed the doors behind them, silently he stepped closer and indicated the chains and the stone wall. "That will be part of your training.

Her eye followed his finger to the chains before looking back to his face trying to read his expression. She remained silent waiting for further explanation on what would be expected of her. From what the Redhead could gauge he seems to be thinking about something, maybe even a little reserved. Eventually he parted from her side, approaching and pulling the chains; strangest thing was that despite it being old and visibly abandoned, there was no hint of dust. The clinking of the links was the only sound reverberating within the room until Lyle finally spoke up once more.

"I'll have to tie you up. I could give you a detailed explanation of what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, if you wish to have the psychological torture as well." The words were completely naturally spoken on his part, as though they were talking about the weather.

After a moment of hesitation she stepped closer, her eye drifted to the chain in his hand but she didn't share her feelings on their condition and suspected that the restraints had seen regular use even if the Chantry had been moved. When he spoke again she looked up to him before replying.

"I'd rather you explained." There was a considerable height difference between them, Lyle was easily tall for when he was alive. Keres was forced to look upwards to even hope meeting his inquisitive gaze.

"M-hmm fine. You'll be strapped for a few reasons: safety, and access. Safety because I'd rather not spend the night running after a frenzied Kindred in the whole building. And the beast will make you do anything to protect you from me. Access because it's easier for me to have a full access to you if you're strapped."

He seemed to think a moment about the objects, making sure it was all there, as if trying to remember how to use them. Maybe he's doubting but it could just as easily be an act. With him it was never safe to assume anything and that was exactly how he liked things.

Keres listened in silence, she was watching him very closely now. Doubt crept into her, she did her best to quash it back down. She would not cow away from what needed to be done any more. Her hands went to remove her jewellery and extracted a draw string pouch from the inner pocket of her jacket to put them in. It wasn't much, her rosary and a bracelet that her Sire had given her.

"If you could make sure these stay safe I would be grateful.." He indicated vaguely the table giving the matter very little thought.

"You can undress too." He finally pulled away what he considers he'll need, and poked out a cobble from the wall extracting a key from behind one of the smaller stones.

"If I wasn't conscious of wasting blood I'd blush." There was a hint of mirth and sarcasm in her voice. "How much am I undressing?" As she asked her question she stepped away from him to do as she was told.

"PFff Like I've never seen it before. How much do you care for your underwear?" He really didn't seem to care, but then again, after decades of rituals that required nudity to be performed, you just got used to it.

Like medical students.

Bloodsucking immortal medical students.

Lyle waited patiently for her to be ready, then signed for her to get closer.

"Usually we strap staked Kindred. It'll be a first"

She didn't take long to remove all of her clothing, she gave the slightest of smiles at his snort of laughter but the smile left quickly. When she stood next to him once more she reluctantly offered her arm to him.

"...That's comforting."

"Staked Kindred are easier to manipulate." Obvious answer was obvious as far as he could see. Lyle took the arm Keres offered, and pulled her, then pushes her against the wall locking the wrist. He coiled the chains, making sure the "victim" cannot move from the assigned wall, so she has the least ability to move as possible. Lyle can feel some hesitancy when he manipulates her to bind her in place, for a moment she needs forceful encouragement to get her to move but once she's going she doesn't resist.

"Last person that was here was Claudia. When I took Regency I dropped the practice because there were no new Childer. Griffin's the first one to dare a local embrace. Lucky you!" He obviously thinks that the training he will make her go through is deterrent enough to other Tremere about wanting a Childe.

"So that's why she's scared of you? Uhuh lucky, lucky me. I'm sure he had his reasons for wanting an Embrace right." She tested the bindings as she spoke. Subconsciously feeling for it's limitations and testing for weaknesses.

"She's scared of me because I killed her."He kept Keres talking as his hands took the other wrist to do the same to it. The contraptions purpose quickly became apparent; it was meant to contain frenzied Kindred.

Damn medieval artisans, they know how to do their job. She could find now flaws within its constriction upon her arms.

"I didn't participate in her training, anyway. Against Clan dogma, plus I entrusted her to a more qualified teacher. And Jean-Pierre.. I didn't ask what his intentions were. It's not something I consider relevant for the Clan."

"My Sire killed me but I'm not scared of him..."She seemed a bit confused by the concept. "I figured his intentions would be obvious when he asked for an Embrace right, details only really matter between Sire and Childer in the grand scheme of things I suppose." She did the same with her other arm, it wasn't until that moment she realised just how much shorter she was than her Regent but she didn't comment on it.

Lyle arranged the chains and locked them in a way that her shoulders wouldn't get too far from the wall, he bound in turn her feet and knees also. The creeping sensation of claustrophobia began to sink into her skin. Oppression and discomfort was also what she noticed but it wasn't as painful as she expected.

"I mean, his intentions other than killing someone and making them a Tremere. He didn't tell me why he wanted a Childe when he asked for permission, and I didn't ask him. He isn't the kind to whim or to take decisions he might regret."

The longer Keres spent within the device the easier it became to guess that when he meant "access", he could have meant vivisection access. This is probably a place where they could torture, or test a Kindred's abilities; the two were not exclusive of one another after all.

Lyle took time to observe with detail the poor future victim of his training all the while Keres took a deep breath. Once Lyle stepped back she expelled it slowly, shifting to test her bindings cautiously with more attention this time around.

"Then I hope I will not be a disappointment to him." Lyle could see she wasn't sure exactly where to look, this experience was certainly like nothing she'd had before.

It's truly made for keeping kindred from moving too much, and the arms fully extended don't really help. Lyle snaps his fingers, he noticed something was off, and was quick to take a bended metal piece to put on her neck, locking the sides of it to the wall. So she wouldn't move her head too much.

"I don't think he's got high hopes on anyone. My guess is that he wanted a friend. Loneliness is why most Kindred Embrace anyway..."

Keres had to resist the urge to wriggle her head once he had secured it in place, being completely still was unusual for her, she preferred freedom to move if she wanted to, rather than having no choice.

"...I never asked for his reasons, it didn't seem appropriate." She would have shrugged if she could have at that moment but the straps holding her in place prevented that much movement.

"He'd probably just look at you and say something in the lines of 'this isn't something I wish to discuss'. Griffin's a rock. Remember those speeches Vienna's inhabitants gave you about how focusing, concentrating, keeping a perfect control over even the smallest detail was the key to use our clan discipline ?" As he spoke his body moved back and observes again, finally satisfied.

"Only because that's what he wants you to see, we all play games." There was a pause before she continued on to answer his question. "..Yes?" She knew it, but her voice lacked conviction.

"Probably. I don't need to know him. He makes sure he's not in my way, and I let him play his games. Everything they've said is true, up to a point you probably don't suspect. They're all insane because of it. You'll have to practice those words to learn to master yourself, before considering trying to understand the mere concepts of magic. And this mastering of yourself is what's crucial for you to get. So you can face other Kindred with freedom."

Even if this is something he's not used to explaining, it shows clearly, he knows what he's talking about. He spoke whilst making one of his hands move, as if it would help him find better words to explain what he means.

"Short version is that you'll hate me, you'll hate the Clan, and you'll keep asking 'why the fuck', until you get it. Then you'll crawl under a bed." The Regent seemed to be speaking from experience, the last bit is something he witnessed, obviously.

"...So insanity is a coping mechanism? ...I will always try and forgive, it was what I was taught to do." Lyle's hand movement attracted her attention for a moment before she looked back to meet his eye once more finding it the only place she could look without feeling this was an abnormal situation compared to what she was accustomed to.

"Blah I don't care about being hated or despised. You should get used to it too. Goes with being Tremere." He moved around the room, and found what he seemed to be looking for;a knife. "Insanity is a side effect. All of us cope differently with our undead state, and magic just worsens it."

"I find it hard to hate you when I like you..." She paused, watching him look for something. "...Dare I ask what you do to cope?" Keres eyed the knife wearily uncertain of what he planned to do with it.

"I know I'm a lovable guy." Sarcasm dripped from his voice. "To cope? I drink." Lyle was completely blunt about it, and playing with the knife in his hand, approaching as her as though this was a perfectly normal situation to find oneself. Keres pointedly ignored the blade, refusing to show fear or be intimidated.

"What are our clan affinities for kindred abilities?" The question he asked came out of nowhere, completely changing the topic. It threw her for a moment but she quickly recovered, taking on the role of student came easily to the younger Tremere.

"Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy." She remained as still as possible as though she was a small fluffy animal caught in the headlights.

"Very well. Describe to me the first two. Remember I'm drunk, so even my half a neuron should understand that description." A smile graced his lips, patient, observing, still having the knife in hand, but not playing with it any more. Suddenly becoming very still awaiting the answer she would give.

"Auspex enhances the senses and can allow one to see through illusions depending on certain factors. Dominate uses our will to overpower someone's mind, making them think or act how the user wishes." She spoke slightly calmer now he's stopped moving, she's watching his eyes once more finding more stability when she ignored his body.

"Correct. Textbook correct. Auspex enhances our senses, our capacity to feel certain things. Dominate enhances our capacity to impose our will. Your senses and your will are the most important features a Tremere has, which is why they need to be trained. If you cannot adapt your senses in unique situations, or if you cannot have a perfect control of your will, you're at risk. Especially if you must train our unique affinity with magic."

She doesn't reply verbally, it seems she's expecting him to say more or question her further. Keres tried not to shift or draw too much attention to herself as she observed him. Meeting nothing but silence the Regent continued to speak.

"Thaumaturgy has many definitions. Some will talk about branches of actual magic, some will speak of a Discipline of Disciplines. I prefer my version: Thaumaturgy is like Dominate, but on ourselves. A mastering of yourself instead of mastering others."

He smirked continuing yet again.

"And your senses help you be more precise, and more understanding of others. By mirroring, if you understand yourself you'll have a greater skill at mastering yourself. Does it make any sense?"

"..More sense than how it was explained to me before." She had considered his description before replying, comparing it to what she knew already.

"Thaumaturgy isn't natural. Other disciplines do not require years of studying, reading, experimenting, and training. Some are more gifted than others. And those who jump into it without proper pre-training lose it faster than the others, and cannot cope with it, which is why we, as a Clan, have a high death rate among our Chantries. Even those who do not study the magic, still have to get down to this strengthening of themselves just to be able to survive as a Tremere. Griffin, for instance, uses it in Elysium. I certainly won't teach you our magic overnight, it's not possible, but this pre-training will give you the tools to face the most traumatic situations. Including learning Thaumaturgy. Do you see where I'm heading?"

"You're giving me a base from which to learn from, and possibly prevent my final death through being unprepared for an issue that may occur by causing me trauma and getting me to see clearly through situations like it instead of panicking..."

"That 'will' occur. These situations happen every night, we are Kindred, after all. Being paralyzed by a Ventrue's charisma, surviving mocking of a Harpy, taking action against your followers, owning your herd, and planning your world domination. How many links are there on the chain around your left leg ?"

Keres was taken aback by the next sudden question, she couldn't tell without using her disciplines.

"Am I permitted to use Auspex during these lessons?"

"Wrong answer. Our main rule is "don't get caught". You've got three ways to answer to that question, Mrs. Griffin. First is.. anticipation. Pay special attention to everything around you, at all times, every single instant. Second is fast thinking, using Auspex, and trust your skin to feel them, count them, and give an answer. Third option is to be lucky, give an answer, and stick to it. I do not know how many links there are.

The second answer is bad, because it uses resources and time which you may not have. Griffin is on the first option, usually..."

Lyle could see her tense up anticipating some form of punishment for her error. She remained silent, she waited for him to do or say something.

"Guess which kind of answer I provide to such questions. And guess Claudia's, from what you know of her." He doesn't seem disappointed, nor willing to punish for now.

"You would either observe or failing that guess, she would observe?" Keres didn't sound particularly confident in her answers but she replied to the best of her abilities.

"I'm option three, but I will do so without even trying to make a plausible guess. The distraction of the BS would let me consider option two. Claudia is an observer, like your Sire, but for her it's subconscious, while for him it's trained, a conscious effort. She naturally filters what may be of importance and lets it sink somewhere in her senses until it becomes relevant to her existence. You do not have her innate talent, which is why you'll have to go through my training using your senses."

He showed the knife as to say that it's what he'd use as a training tool for tonight. With a bit of difficulty Keres tried to stifle down the fear she was beginning to feel as Lyle indicated the knife as his tool of choice in this educational process. If he was paying close attention he'd notice the slight change in her expression as she bit down slightly on her cheek to stop herself doing something stupid.

"I'll deprive you of your eyes for a moment, and your task will be to not heal them." Like if speaking about the weather, Lyle steps closer without hesitation once she seems to have understood and assimilated the information given. The removal was quick and efficient; but painful. She was keenly aware of the cold fingers holding her face with one hand and doing the deed with the other.

Keres instinctively closed her eyes and pressed herself away and into the wall, forcing Lyle to either cut through her eyelids or force them open individually She tried to hold in a scream but failed as soon as the blade was pressed into her. He could feel her shaking, dimly she was aware of the sound of the chains clinking as she tried to wrench her arms free and fight back.

Lyle didn't let go of her face for a moment once it's done. He waits until she's out of voice before speaking with a calm low voice. He didn't need to raise it, deprived of sight instinctively forcing her to rely on her other senses.

"Do not heal it until I allow it. Nerves still work but it's mostly in your mind, remember, you're dead. Focus on your other senses to find peace and cope with pain. Do you understand?" After a while she stopped struggling against him, she still shook as she calmed fighting the instinct to heal herself immediately and listen to the words being spoken.

"Y-yes." Now she couldn't see, she became acutely aware of his hands and the internal scream of the Beast in her head.

"You're going to need every drop of blood to more urgent things." He held on for a few more seconds, then he let go. Keres can hear him take a few steps and move a little something; rubbing his hands or something similar. Subconsciously she jerked her head to try and listen to the sound he made but couldn't move very far, a small growl of frustration passed her lips as she recalled he had secured her head as well.

Trying to calm herself Keres relapsed into an old habit of using breathing techniques to focus herself and calm her mind to concentrate. It was much more difficult this time with the Beast rattling in the back of her head, in her mind she tried to build up the brick wall back around it, slowly blocking it away once more.

"You'll have to be precise." Lyle's voice seemed to come from the void of blackness she couldn't yet focus on his a while, a slight regular "tic" can be heard every other small instant. A mechanical watch or clock perhaps but she could not be certain.

Lyle didn't move at all once that sound is audible, and after a moment, Keres thought he'd gone but there were no sounds of steps, or moving fabric; nothing to confirm it.

After a few moments Keres stopped breathing, to concentrate on what she could hear, without her sight she found she focused more on her other senses, she became more aware of the metal holding her in place and the ticking sound she could hear. With nothing else to occupy herself with she began to count the ticks.

The passage of time became meaningless to her, the only thing she had was the rhythmic ticking sounds to occupy her mind. It felt like an eternity, but eventually Lyle's voice jarred her.

"So, how many links?" His tone sounded mocking, he was enjoying this far too much. Lyle could hear her bindings clink as she jumped with surprise, the silence had been ongoing for so long she had managed to find a strange level of calm.

"Twenty links and ten thousand eight hundred ticks." She replied immediately, internally she found his humour quite amusing it lightened her mood towards her current training.

"Fine, you didn't forget. Keeping track of time, and managing it is also a key to survival. Thaumaturgy asks for a part of yourself, a sacrifice of blood, soul or else, so training your brain to ignore that blade in your eyes is the quickest and most efficient way to give it in times of need. Remember your Will. If you show your enemies you will not hesitate to cut your own arm or pluck out your own eye to gain any sort of edge, they'll be better at obeying you. They will fear and respect you. Be fearless."


	2. Chapter 2

"..Does it always hurt?" She couldn't stop the question tumbling out of her mouth. Keres was curious if there was a way to bypass the pain or if it was only willpower that quashed it.

"The Beast is never happy with you when you endanger it by jumping through hoops on fire. Your nerves eventually will respond with less "danger", like how you get used to taking very cold swims, but for the body it is still a trauma. Unless you're high enough." There was a slight pause as Lyle continued to ponder his response before continuing on.

"It's about acting through it. Like those women with high heels three sizes smaller than their feet and they still look like if nothing happened." He had a hard time coming up with the example, as if the first one he had in mind just didn't fit the situation.

There was silence between the pair for a moment as she assimilated and dissected what he said to her.

"So more I expose myself to it the easier it will get?" Keres knew she was living in hope, it couldn't be as simple as that.

"If you build your will each time. It's not as simple as just facing your fears until they're not scary anymore."

"Mnn, that's true." She felt bad for making him explain these things to her, but if she didn't ask now it would mean hours of trial and error.

"You can heal your eyes now." He finally stepped closer, slowly. Keres could hear the sound his shoes made on the stone as he moved. She had already began to heal the damage her Regent had inflicted upon her but it was a slow process. The Beast scrambled behind the wall she had made and didn't want to give it any advantage.

"..Thank you.." She didn't move her head any more to try and face the noise Lyle made as he moved or spoke, recalling that she couldn't do so any longer.

As her eyesight gradually returned to her she could see the Regent walking with a watch in his hand, showing it as the healing process went on. Gradually she could make out the details, he kept the knife in his other hand, as if it were nothing more than a pen.

Eventually Lyle spoke once more, he obviously had not yet finished his tutoring session with the much younger Apprentice.

"Some are better at their touch, or smell than their ears. It's up to you to force yourself to train them all in the most efficient way, so you can access either depending on your needs. Kine and Kindred count way too much on their eyes, which is why it's the one I started with. Your mind has to accept your predatory nature. Despite belonging to the Tremere Clan. Your will is also a key to ignoring your beast despite the thirst and the rage of having been hurt or deprived."

"So if I asked you to take out my eyes once in awhile you'd oblige?" Lyle could easily hear more curiosity in her tone.

"As long as I'm not busy with something else, sure, it's been awhile since a woman last asked me to hurt her, willingly. However, true mastery is doing it yourself. Most rituals ask it anyway."

He put back the watch in his suit pocket, still holding the knife, he waved it as he gestured with his hands. Keres drew the parallel of an orchestra conductor.

"Well could you teach me to do it? I would probably bodge it the first few times." She seems a little embarrassed admitting that. "I want to improve, if that's what it takes then that's what it takes. Need to get used to it at some point."

Lyle paused and without preamble changed the topic of conversation to quiz her on something else.

"How's the thirst?"

Keres thought on it for a moment, on how to phrase her reply to this question. Pride would not allow her to admit just how bad the thirst really was.

"Manageable?" She seemed to grasp at the word, it was neutral enough for her liking. He paused to this, his expression gave little of his thoughts away to her. It lasted but a second before he continued back to the previous topic of conversation yet again.

"Turn the knife against yourself and press it into your eye. It's easier to start with something you can see and that is less taboo to your nerves, like a finger or a hand."

Like a basic cooking recipe. It was as though these brutal acts were just an everyday part of life and there was nothing unusual regarding it. Yet again he switched back to her other comment, as though he had suddenly decided where he was going next.

"Manageable.. uh. Hm. You know how your will and sometimes instincts, control your blood, where it goes, what it does. It's how you recovered your sight. I'll take part of that blood and you will have to control the few drops I'll leave you away from what your instincts tell you, of course."

He took a step back to put the knife on the table as he spoke, Keres was forced to look forward by the metallic brace that held her head in place. Next he removed the waistcoat and draped it across the back of one of the chairs.

"...Do I get it back?" The old hesitation returned to her as she realised he was taking something else this time. Again she observed every move he made cautious but also curious. The two seemed in constant battle in her mind tonight.

"Eventually. Did Griffin make you kill your first prey, or was he the victim of your first thirst?"

He smiled and stood right in front of her as he queried, ignoring the fact she could not move and was helpless to his whims. Keres looked away from him for a moment, maybe she was ashamed of what happened. In truth the Regent could not have cared less if she had killed the Kine by mistake.

When she began to reply she looked back to Lyle once more. Her gaze had drifted and unfocused as memories of that incident resurfaced.

"I didn't kill him on purpose, and if he had asked me to I would have told him where to shove it." The response was a bit more aggressive than Keres had initially intended, however, she had values and morals she still clung to even in death.

"Don't give excuses, nobody cares. Then we'll see if you've learnt that. Griffin knows life and death happen, anyway, so by confronting you to it so early on, you know what's the score." He positioned himself a little to her left and unshackled her left hand as he spoke. His grip was firm, ensuring she could not move the free limb.

"I care.." She held still for him, seeing very little point fighting against his much stronger grip when she knew deep down he was trying to helping her.

"Nobody cares that you care. What do you think any Kindred of my status or age think about Claudia's credibility as Kindred?" Keres felt Lyle's other hand grip a little lower down her arm, a bit too strongly. He's making sure he wouldn't get any surprises and she instinctively knew it to be the case.

"I'm not asking anyone else to, but I do. She's independent and has survived, what else can you want for?" To the best of her abilities Keres ignored what he was doing.

"You can care all you want, just never show it, never even hint at it. Observe your Sire. He's far from being a ruthless monster, but he doesn't act like she does. Her surviving is enough for me as well, yet she's not taken seriously. I allow her independence, but others would consider her a Rogue Tremere that needs to be put down."

"She's like a kitten..How do they see her as a Rogue?"

"Imagine if she'd be caught by the Sabbat."

"Surely she can defend herself when she needs to?" As best as she could she tried to ignore the gradually tightening grip Lyle had upon her person, though the task was becoming more and more difficult.

"She has her own defenses, but I still watch her like a Neonate. Just in case. Oh, about this.. Your task is to resist by controlling your own blood. I won't be gentle and you will lose. Try your best." He lifted the wrist a little, ensuring Keres knew he freed her arm to bite it and drink from it, not hesitating to show his more beastial traits. With a smile she caught a flash of fangs.

With a subconscious compulsion Keres' fist began to clench and relax, as though the blood supply had been cut off to her appendage. All that was missing was the sensation of pins and needles.

"Does she know?" She bit her lip nervously at his instructions eventually acknowledgment came from her lips. "..Ok, I'll do my best."

"Nope, I Dominate her." And with that he bit deeply into the available flesh. Keres didn't really get a chance to say much else before yelping and clenching her fist to dig her nails into her palm. Curses tumbled from her as she attempted to control herself, eventually she curbed it by biting her lip. The woman's vitae drew away quickly after a few moments of surprise had passed.

He could see she quickly stopped breathing concentrating on pushing down the medley of sensations. Keres felt torn half by her own mind, her subconsciousness was screaming to allow him, the other half was the Beast howling in the back of her head demanding that she withdraw from the cause of danger.

Her eyes fixated on Lyle's feeding but quickly looked up and away though that was hampered by the restraints. The circumstances of her embrace came quite vividly to the fore of her mind. Even the sensation felt eerily similar, which made it all the more difficult to focus on denying him.

Lyle ensured he opened a wound wide enough for him not to bother with being delicate, and to have better access to Keres' circulatory system. The persistent grip he kept upon her forearm shifted, she could feel his fingers tighten as they came to rest at her elbow, the other hand forcing her to press her palm against his. The resistance she put up on his grip was not well received the distinct crack of bone as a few of her fingers broke echoed against the stone walls.

Once content with how he held what would be a prey he began to force the vitae in earnest to him. Sometimes a little stronger, sometimes letting Keres regain will over it.

He toyed with her like this for a long few minutes, but this was not to last.

Lyle opened the wound wider, he felt her arm twitch as she fought her natural instinct to try and pull the limb away. The muscles in her arm tensed, she was already trying to shut the Beast up to focus before it really began. Keres had not yet realised she had lost the battle, a hissing growl emanated from her lips as he felt her blood begin to move against her will.

The younger Tremere did her best to fight against him, when he allowed it she drew it back further only to have her small victory taken from her when he dragged more blood away from her body. She remembered he said she would lose but she kept going for as long as she could, far too stubborn to just give in.

It felt like an age, her blood moved as he drew it to the wound, and then allowed it to retreat back as she fought against it, trying to keep it in the core of her body. When Lyle decided playtime was finally over and done with he pressed much more firmly, the sensation akin to a black hole as her vitae just suddenly left her body. Fear spiked inside her as he took the majority of her supply, it was as though he was taking sweets from a child, it came that easily to him.

Her body fought him, her Beast now attempting to prevent the inevitable. She tried to wrench her arm from his grip, the joints popped and ground against each other. Keres could not open her eyes, as she struggled all she wanted to do was blot out the sensation of the kiss and the memories of her embrace that she associated with it.

This happened in the space of seconds, and as promised the Regent let the bite go leaving her with the dregs of vitae. Keres' Beast was not pleased by this, it howled in her mind, demanding to have what was taken replaced. It took all of Lyle's control to lick the wound and heal it up. He battled with his own Beast, it wasn't as though he was thirsty, no, the Beast was just so damned greedy.

It always wanted more.

Once satisfied his bite had been healed Keres' wrist was placed back within the manacle. He took a step back vaguely his hand came to clean at his lips though there was barely anything left there to clean away.

Still trembling, the manacles rattled, it wasn't just fear that caused this reaction within her body. Now Keres felt considerable more pressure from her Beast. It wanted freedom, wanted to hunt, to rampage and destroy what left her in this desperate situation. Its call was deafening,, everything became so much more difficult, even opening her eyes felt like a hard task.

"Never let anyone do that to you. And never do it to anyone, except for mortals." The Apprentice heard her Regent move away yet again, he was not gone for long, she could hear him remove something from the table, she guessed the knife.

"Now interesting things will start." His tone wasn't gleeful, Keres was given the distinct impression that he viewed this as nothing more than a task that had befell him, nothing more and nothing less. Just something he was required to do, a part of her was grateful for this, it gave her still some small hope that he was not a complete monster as her Sire believed him to be.

Eventually Keres managed to open her eyes, though not until Lyle has turned back to face her once again. She looked like she was sizing him up through glazed eyes, though she wasn't straining against the restraints yet she hadn't stopped shaking. He showed the knife visibly, making sure the Beast was aware of what would happen, as he confirmed it verbally.

"I'll deprive you of your eyes again. It's up to you to keep control and focus. I'll leave you something to focus your mind on in the meantime."

She didn't respond verbally to him when he explained what would happen next, she was in control barely but after she blinked he could see she was concentrating more on reigning in her Beast than acknowledging him with a response. Even if he doesn't get full confirmation, he does the same as he did earlier, held her face to prevent her from squirming, yet again taking her eyes in two swift movements. Instincts flared within the shorter woman, she attempted to bite but he was quicker. Once the deed is done he stepped away like a mild experiment, waiting to observe the results. The one measurable difference in her response was the lack of a scream, he received a feral snarl instead, she still fought against the restraints, however, it took much longer for her to calm this time.

The long silence was eventually broken by a loud metallic movement and then his voice.

"You're.. trying to focus. Good. As promised I'll give you something to keep your mind busy."

A metalic, rusted sound became cyclical. Like a door opening and closing, but it's too regular to be it, Keres also recalled the doors of the chantry are silent. After an effort of memory, and hearing the noise regularly, it sounded like a pendulum. Maybe an improvised one? With what used to hold candles in the roof but she couldn't be certain.

When Lyle looked back to Keres she had stilled completely, having latched on to the new noise he had given her to concentrate on. She found it easier to calm herself, but keeping herself in control and counting the noise was challenging. The passage of time meant nothing now to the woman, but she was almost positive he had remained in the room with her, he was silent, and she had not heard his footsteps hail his departure.

He could see her fists clenched, if it wasn't for the brace that held her neck Lyle could tell her head would have lulled back. Keres didn't speak or breathe but tried to remain focused on the what felt like an age, the sound stopped abruptly, replaced by her mentor's voice which sounded almost loud after the prolonged silence.

"Do you wish to heal?"Keres bit her lip for a fraction of a second but couldn't hold in the smile.

"N-no." Her voice faltered, she probably wanted to say something else but didn't.

"Good choice. Healing now will certainly make you frenzy. You need to make choices in what are your priorities now. If you find yourself wounded and blood deprived, do not listen to your instincts about your immediate pain. How badly do you want blood?"

"My instincts..tell me to feed, d-don't need eyes for that." Keres fumbled with her words, at one point forgetting she needed to breathe to speak. She considered his question before replying.

"M-managable." She gave the same reply as last time, though he could tell it was a poor lie. All of a sudden his footsteps came again, echoing off the floor and reverberating off the walls. As he got within her personal space the sweet scent of vitae assailed her senses, he probably cut himself with the knife but her mind was becoming more addled by the proximity of sustenance.

"Manageable?" He whispered the word in her ear, she could feel a few stray locks of curled hair stir. The whole situation made Keres twitch within her bindings, her head attempted to move away further from the tortious fragrance that danced along her senses. It was all she could do but allow a feral growl bubble from her chest.

"...Yes." She hissed and elongated the last consonant she spoke. Trying her best to fight her Beast but still straining against the chains.

"Not even a drop ?" Now he's being plain trollish and she knew it.

She laughed, it was short and sharp.

"Go fuck yourself." When she spoke there was very little conviction behind it, he could almost hear her whimper.

"I've got that covered." The smell stopped from being fresh, but it was still present. He probably bled enough so some of it would spill on the floor in front of her.

"I'll leave you to that a moment." His retreating footfall was the only signal of his said nothing, allowing him leave and waiting until she was certain he had gone before actually allowing her defences down to expose the fact that she was thirsty, she didn't want Lyle to see it.

Every time she took a shuddering breath it only made herself worse, her throat felt parched and arid, and every time she inhaled the copperish tang in the air just about danced across her deceased tastebuds teasing her all the more. In the end Keres decided to just stop breathing again, in the hopes that it would help.

When Regent Kersten did return he was not alone, the second set of footsteps made Keres perk up, notwithstanding the smell of perfume the sudden presence of an active pulse in the room. They came to a halt at the center of the room, one of them went to the table collecting some the objects on it. After a pause footsteps approached her, she was that used to not being able to see she could identify Lyle's gait without too much difficulty. Once he was close enough she could confirm it by his scent, he always had a habit of smelling like he'd been around a prostitute; cheap strong perfume which hid his own normal smell.

She barely noticed as he unbound her, her mind far too drawn to the fact there was available prey so close by. Once Keres was free however her grip went immediately to his belt, the side of her head resting on his shoulder trying to smother herself away. Without conscious effort Keres immediately found herself in prayer, she spoke low, the words barely audible to the Elder but it was habitual.

" _Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle._

 _Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil._

 _May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;_

 _and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,_

 _by the power of God_

 _cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits_

 _who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."_

Keres feared herself, she knew the wicked thing that lurked inside herself, felt it perk and now paying full attention now. It was the silence before the storm worsened, and on an instinctive level she knew as soon as Lyle let her go the careful constraints she had on her Beast would vanish with the need for sustenance.

Lyle didn't care to want to hear what she was saying, but he held her with precaution to help her stand. He was no fool, the young Apprentice was close and thirsty enough to consider him lunch as much as the Kine. He spoke low, aware of the precariousness of the situation..

"I've brought you a prey for you to let go your frustrations."The Regent felt her shift her weight, she was still shaking in his grip, her head turned resting the other side on him instead so she could look up at him blindly.

"Give back what you took..." She managed to keep her own voice down to not startle the Kine.

"I won't, Griffin would slap me. And the Clan would claim my head." The idea clearly amused him, but a small part of him felt something akin to guilt. Lyle remained quite firm, taking her by her arms to walk with her closer towards the unmoving Kine.

"Here's your refill."

"I won't tell if you don't." Lyle felt Keres resist feebly against him. She hissed and made a sound almost like a dying animal would make. "I'll kill her...please don't make me relive that..."

The Elder stayed passive but quite distant. "You can kill. The priest of the church will absolve you afterwards. Either that or you keep full control. It's the only viable option long term. Bonds are forbidden in our Clan."

"...I know I can, doesn't make me want to." She's still had one hand gripped to his belt but it was much slacker now as her resolve gradually beginning to weaken against her hunger.

"The more you wait the more the Beast will hassle you." Odd that the prey he brought in didn't say or do anything. Dominate is a bitch but Keres didn't have the focus to appreciate that fact. Lyle's words seem to sink in quite quickly, she let him go and stepped towards the Kine, Keres can hear her breathing and finds where she is without too much difficulty without her eyes. Instincts of her Beast just seeming to know what to do and what was needed.

Keres seems quite gentle but impatient to feed, her touch wasn't rough but still firm. She muttered an apology into the Kine's ear before she bit at their neck to feed greedily. She fought to stay in control but the Beast is greedy, not liking the deprivation it had been under the last few hours, she probably took more than she should have, the satisfying liquid washed away the thirst and the fire that felt like it was burning in her belly seemed to be smothered finally.

When Lyle interrupts her she almost lashed out at him, but directed the frustration to digging her nails into his arm instead, not caring for the first time if she hurts him or not. He had to hold onto her for a few minutes, sometimes she struggled against him but it didn't last long. Even with the abuse she dealt out he refused to allow her to go back to the precious supply.

"See, you didn't kill it. You're learning." His words were hushed, wanting her to calm of her own accord. Eventually Keres went limp in his grip, she didn't even care any more that he seemed to constantly be in her personal space. She was keenly aware that she hadn't closed the wound on the Kine's neck and could still smell the blood.

"...Thank you." She seemed to genuinely mean her thanks to him. Control gradually returning to her once more. Lyle doesn't even blink at her harming him, he's perfectly fine with it.

"Don't thank me, you're learning and practicing; and we got enough corpses in the city for now. Heal your eyes, you should be able to handle it now. You'll have to take her back somewhere, as my control over her will eventually fade away."

Lyle can see her smile slightly, finding something he said endearing. She did as he instructed but healed it slowly again to not waste the blood.

"Where did you find her?"

"The docks." He shrugged his shoulders, uncaring, and lets go when he's sure she's calmed down. "You were strong willed enough to say that you cared about his life, so I intervened."

Lyle felt her fingernails finally unclamp from his arms slowly as her eyes healed. Keres' head jerked when he shrugged she hadn't realised she had rested against it since she had barely been aware which way was up when Lyle pulled her off the Kine.

"I'll take them back there then..thank you, it means a lot to me that you did.." Sheepishly she gave him a hug before quickly letting him go.

"And get dressed before." Obviously. He doesn't move, letting her do as she wishes. "Just don't tell others, I don't want them to know I'm.. uh.. Nice?" He's joking about it, and he probably planned it through, for a darker deed, and it's pretty obvious, but he still did it even if he could appear nice.

"Uhuh, I may be getting used to you seeing me with no clothes on but that doesn't mean I plan on becoming a nudist any time soon." She sits with him for a while longer waiting for her eyes to completely heal. He can tell she's choosing her words carefully when she speaks again.

"Who would I tell? No one would believe me even if I did... I know we don't do things to be kind, you have a purpose behind my lessons, I look forward to finding out what they are, or not whichever the case may be, but a large part of my life came from teachers after my adoptive parents died, so I'm not surprised I think fondly of you..." She was uncertain why she was telling him these things, it probably would only give him more control over her but in her mind better someone she knew than faceless people who didn't show themselves. Lyle just huffed off the words and taps her shoulder to bring her back to reality.

"I've seen thousands of naked women, Kine or Kindred. Yes, I've had my plans all along. I had guessed from your reaction that Griffin already confronted you to killing prey, so doing it again wasn't necessary. And I'm a terrible teacher, but I'm good at making a point of certain things."

The tap on her shoulder made her jump slightly but she smiled and sat up.

"You may have, I was never married though..." She doesn't feel the need to explain more on that hoping he'd get the hint. "Everyone learns differently, your teaching style will never suit everyone. Don't hate you for it though."

"Maybe I should talk the priest into marrying you to Griffin." He thinks it's a very funny idea and doesn't hide it, but he got the message. "I never married either, but it doesn't change anything. Bah I'm a terrible teacher and I like it this way, Vienna doesn't send me anyone. Maybe I should start rumors about what happens here, it could lead to amusement. Go take her back to the docks before the control wears off, and we'll continue."

"Hmm, don't think Griffin would consent to that one." Lyle can feel her laugh silently at the idea.

"Give me a few years to get used to it and I will probably be the same. Rumors huh? Got any ideas?" She stood as she asked taking his directive seriously. Keres dressed as she waited for a response, she then turned her attention to the Kine, collecting the blood with her finger and healing the bite with a quick lick.

The girl is knocked out from blood loss but she'll probably be fine after a good rest. And food.

"Your sexuality is a great tool to obtain blood. Rumors.. How about 'Saint Eloi, boot camp for stubborn Tremere', uh. And consent is overrated, he'll obey plain and simple even if he gives me the death glare. Like I care, god damn harpy!"


	3. Chapter 3

Keres smoothed the Kine's hair with her clean hand, politely and probably more out of habit she offered Lyle the blood on her hand.

"Uh, I suppose.." She shrugged. "Doesn't it have that reputation already? Huh, well if he was going to do so I would quite like him to do it because he wanted to. Not because you told him to, it should be a happy time not one filled with death glares as I'm going to assume you'd be the best man or if not you'd make a pretty bridesmaid." Keres poked the Kine as she verbally teased her Regent she hoped she'd wake up so she wouldn't have to carry them.

Lyle refused the offered blood, denying with a shake of his head. "I'm trying to quit. I'd look fabulous with english locks." Keres hid her smile behind the act of cleaning herself. She shrugged and licked her finger clean at his refusal.

"I don't know what Griffin wants, so I go ahead and decide for him. He gives me the stare, but he never says anything, so until he tells me, I'll keep annoying him."

Eventually the Kine awoke, still half aware of their surroundings but obviously dazed from the combination of Lyle's Dominate and the sudden unexpected loss of blood.

"I'll wait for you here." She didn't get a chance to comment further as the Kine awoke. She nodded conforming her understanding before helping the dazed Kine on their feet and out the door.

As she said she would she returned the Kine to the docks where Lyle had found her. Keres did not leave until she was sure they were safe on their own. She returned as quickly as she could and knocked on the door they had entered when they arrived.

Lyle opened the door with a wide meaningful smile and went back to the ritual room where they left off.

"We can chat until dawn arrives, we'll resume tomorrow evening. Your first task will be to hunt properly."

Keres noted the smile with a curious glance as she stepped past the threshold and followed him back to the ritual room once more.

"Will you be watching me?" She assumed he meant hunt properly the beginning of the next night. As she spoke she closed the door of the ritual room behind her.

"Yes but I've got nothing to teach in that field, we all have different approaches to blood. I'll just make sure the Masquerade is kept."

"I think I should start calling you daddy." Her comment was quite dry and sarcastic but she didn't show any sign of caring if he stalked her whilst she stalked Kine for food.

"Yeah better not considering.. Plus I'm trying to get Claudia to do that."

"Considering I look older than you?" She finished off his thought with an amused grin. "Then why am I receiving a chaperone? I think you'd know by now if I broke the Masquerade." Her tone was more curious of why he would wish to.

"Because I want to see if you're capable of hunting correctly even with a stressed Beast. When you'll wake you'll feel more thirst than right now. And I'd like to take a few blackmail pictures..."

She simply nodded, not that she had much choice in the matter either way.

"Hard to blackmail someone with no reputation." She took one of the seats at the table and sat.

"Easy enough. We all have a currency."

"Setting your sights a little low though, I don't have that much why not try one of the Venture?"

"I've got files on them too don't worry..." He sat too. "Is this whole thing helpful to your mind at least?"

Keres watched him sit, she smiled slightly at his question.

"Yes, it's teaching me what is important."

"Everything Jean-Pierre told you is also important, if not more so than what I'm showing you."

"I never said it wasn't, my humanity matters, but so does my survival. So far it seems like a balancing act and the lessons have highlighted this even more so..." Keres reclined into her seat for a moment thinking of how to phrase her words.

"I do not wish to become a monster but at the same time I know I'm no longer human...The knowledge that there is something inside me that will make me survive no matter the cost is an unpleasant truth, but not one I knew the full extent of and probably still don't..." She leant forward, her elbow rested on the table and her chin on her palm, her expression seemed distant and almost sad.

"...I never imagined god could be so cruel..." The thought seemed to have been on her mind for a while now.

"Hm.." Lyle took the time to settle in his chair, listening and being quite attentive before speaking his own mind.

"But by definition you are already a monster. A civilized one, but still. Some are better at pretending than others, and some others force themselves to behave a certain way. In the end we all have a drinking problem, and all of us will do anything we can to have our fix. Being human, pretending to be human..you can ask yourself what do you believe in and how do you understand yourself and others, but in the end it will not change anything."

It was clear to Keres he'd thought about the whole Kindred situation before. It was nice to have someone to speak to on it, her Sire and she had obviously but a different perspective was always useful.

"That's one way of looking at it I didn't consider. Maybe I just got comfortable with the illusion of choice we had as Kine." She seemed to be watching him carefully but it wasn't inspecting just that he seemed to be drawing the majority of her attention.

"Ever saw how jaded older people can be? Imagine living in the body of a twenty year old when in fact you lived through the whole industrialisation era. We're all insane. Griffin has accepted this reality even if it hurts him, and Claudia denies it and runs away from the problem, for instance."

She nodded showing she was paying attention to him and understood what he meant, Lyle could see her expression change when he mentioned Claudia and Griffin though it wasn't entirely clear what her feelings were.

"I can't do what Claudia does, can't sugar coat shit and expected to taste better. Life or unlife just doesn't work that way"

"We all cope with being dead in our own way. Claudia decided to deny the whole thing and just worry about what is important to her. I understand how she chose, because after all I killed her, but I don't understand how she thinks. Either way I don't need to understand her to have her obey when it's necessary. As long as she stays alive and respects the Oath, I just don't care about her life style."

Though Lyle was acting distant, in truth he has a certain affection for his Childe. He masked it well but not well enough for the younger Apprentice not to notice. Keres nodded again, her fingers hid the small smile playing on her lips but it still showed at the corners of her eyes.

"True..." She seems to be thinking of something though doesn't share the thought. "Was your Sire as kind and understanding?"

"Tarcisus? No, he had lost it before we crossed paths. But to be honest I already knew my share of information before being embraced. This whole thing wasn't really new to me. And Claudia certainly doesn't think I'm kind and understanding, I just find her far more useful outside than inside."

Keres took a moment before responding, her eyes watching him still as she figured out how to phrase what she wanted to say.

"You aren't cruel for the sake of being cruel, if you didn't have even a hint of kindness and understanding do you think I'd be here willingly? Or for that matter would you be teaching me at all?"

"I must really be getting old..." He laughed and nodded conceding to her point.

"I'm not doing it for free. I got my fix after all, and it's a fair trade: I show you how to control yourself, and you give me your blood. I'm sure others would disagree, Claudia certainly didn't like her training, even if I wasn't the one doing it. You just so happen to agree with my reasons for being cruel. You rationalize well your surroundings and detach yourself to understand. It's good, it's probably why he chose to give you the embrace. See, if Claudia hates me so much it's because I'm the exact personification of everything that goes against her set of values, her perception of the world. I don't really care that much as long as she obeys."

"Of course you're not, I would be suspicious if you offered with no incentive for your own gain." She sounded quite amused by the idea of getting something for free. "...I don't pretend to know his reasons, so long as he is happy then most likely I am too. Hmm, she can't have met that many truly horrible people if you're her personification of that. She likes your Sire though doesn't she? Or is that another mask?"

"Oh she met her share of assholes, too." He placed his elbow on the table and his chin on his hand mirroring her behaviour.

"Tarcisus fit her idea of a father figure to cope with being dead. Frankly, I think she loves him because he loved her first, as a mirror if you wish. Her mere existence is a bit complicated. Claudia is easy to manipulate, in a way, show her and give her what you want her to give you, it's fairly simple. However it only works if what you give her is sincere. Tarcisus loves her, she's his precious little girl, this is why she can give it back to him. If you see what I mean. This is also the reason why she can trust Griffin."

He sighed, it's a topic he's thought about for long also. Keres' fingers slipped away from her face moving to her cheek whilst still resting her chin on her palm, the expression on her face was telling him she was silently saying 'what? really?'

"Like André Gide said, Better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you're not. The fact you don't like manipulating her seems an admirable trait to me."

"I do manipulate her whenever I need her to do something against her will, and if it's necessary I impose my will on her. I don't need her to like me, or to love me. She would be quick to notice I'm not sincere anyway so it's useless. So I play the role of the evil killer Sire she needs to feel good about herself and it just so happens to be the truth, which makes it far easier for me. Actually, I do care for her, yet our vision of the world is far too different for us to get along."

He shrugged, uncaring, putting back his hand on the table and stretching a little.

"If she's happy, good. I just need her to stay alive. How's your focusing and your beast now?"

"Maybe I just find your bluntness quite sincere." His next question caught her off guard, she was obviously not expecting it.

"Manageable." Keres sat back in her seat, and looked at the wall behind him, she always seemed to under state her abilities.

"If I held her and told her bluntly she'd run away screaming into the night. I should try flowers." Not really considering it, he waved it off with his hand. "Very well. Dawn will happen soon enough now, claim any room you like for the day."

"Depends what you told her I guess..Um, there are rooms with beds here?" She asked with a note of curiosity.

"It all depends of your definition of 'bed', but yes." He stood as he spoke. "I'll show you a little more around, but this Chantry is bigger than what it appears."

Keres nodded and stood, she pushed the chair back under the table where she found it and followed Lyle when he made to move out of the room.

"Why did we move to the new Chantry?"

"Because they named that hotel 'The Regent'. I couldn't help myself." He showed her around the small stone corridors, tangled around the bell as he spoke opening a few doors to what looked like old Apprentice rooms.

They looked more like old prison cells than rooms, and they might have been designed with that in mind. Of course, no water and no electricity, but the magic reacted to Lyle's presence, creating some kind of blue glows on the stones so they didn't get lost.

"Rufus' been keeping the place clean and available."

She didn't comment on what he said about the hotel, instead she followed quietly and poked her head into a few of the rooms, she couldn't help but touch the stones curiously as they illuminated their path.

"I did wonder how it stayed so dust free." After the first three rooms she stopped him. "This one is fine, thank you."

"It's protected by magic as well. This place was built with the Tremere in mind, which is why the bell tower has lasted. Some manual cleaning is needed but it's peanuts compared to what a similar, human-built building would need. I moved the chantry for the same reasons you move from a fort to a palace.."

He nodded as she chose.

"They all look the same anyway, there was no room for individualism. You can probably find some sheets in a drawer if you need them."

She nodded back acknowledging his explanation and fully understanding the move now she had seen some of the rooms.

"Thank you." She held his arm for a moment as she spoke. "I'm sorry about your arms." She felt a bit guilty now she remembered fully what she had done.

He gives a look at his arms, trying to see why, and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's why I rolled my sleeves. Could've been worse so don't worry. It's another lesson; don't get in the way of a frenzied, hungry Kindred if you don't have the strength and knowledge to deal with it. I'll stay in the ritual room for the day, so you can find me there in the evening."

Whilst he spoke she trailed a fingertip over one of the wounds, not quite believing she had done them but quickly let him go. Vaguely she nodded her head acknowledging she had heard where he would be the next evening.

"Sleep well." Keres was unsure how else to say it since torpor well didn't have quite the same ring to it. She stepped aside and into the open doorway to allow him to leave.

"Rest well. We kept the same vocabulary for those matters.." He added as he sensed the doubts. She gave him a slight sheepish smile to this it was still immensely odd to her.

He waved to say goodbye and moved away and back to the ritual room. Keres returned it but didn't watch his retreat, instead closing her door. With a quick glance around she decided against using the sheets, the walls were much like the rest of the Chantry, as Lyle had stated the small room was designed for only the issue of Torpor. The bed, desk and chair were the only three objects within and took up the majority of the small space.

With dawn approaching quickly Keres lay upon the bed and waited, her mind slowed as the sun began to ascend, then just as quickly she succumbed not even trying to fight to remain awake.


	4. Chapter 4

The next night Keres cautiously made her way back to the ritual room, making sure not to deviate from the path that they had travelled the night before. When she finally found the correct room hesitantly knocked on the open door of the ritual room. From where she stood in the doorway Keres could see the back of her Regent's head, he didn't seem to be moving.

Lyle's had claimed one of the seats to spend the day. He removed his shirt to be more comfortable or perhaps to not wrinkle it. Eventually sensing no response from Lyle was forthcoming Keres approached, he seemed to still be sleeping, his head slumped down, arms on his legs, and phone in his hands.

Keres shrugged slightly, she stepped close enough to check him over before deciding against touching, instead she took one of the seats opposite him and waited for him to wake up in silence. Whilst she waited she looked at his arms again to see if he had bothered to heal them but she would not wake him for fear of what he could do to her in his hazed state, better to allow him to wake in his own time.

From her vantage point the Apprentice could easily see that the wounds she had inflicted the previous evening had been healed. Dotted here and there were a few inconsequential scars which had obviously occurred whilst he was still alive, though none of them gave the impression he was alive in the sixteenth century, or that he had been a part of the Crusades as he had claimed.

Eventually he awoke, and his first gesture as the good geek he was, obviously to check his phone, before even noticing someone else was present. Keres sat in silence not wanting to interrupt his routine feeling she would be rude. So she just sat and watched, waiting for him to notice her. Seeing nothing of interest, Lyle raise his head, and gave her a curious look. Then a vague smile graced his expression.

"I overslept."

Keres gave a slight smile back but it left her expression quickly as the words she was about to speak formed in her mind. The statement tugged in the back of her mind, was this common as Kindred aged? Would she be like him in the end? Quickly she discarded the thoughts, choosing instead to speak the thoughts that had first crept to her mind.

"I did knock, but I didn't really think it was a good idea to try and wake you..."

He put the phone away into his trouser pocket, then reached out for his shirt to put it on as he replied.

"Good survival instincts."

"Mmn." Habitually she looked away as he got dressed, Keres still had some form of privacy even if the Clan had mostly beaten it out of her. Once the shirt had been buttoned up Lyle reached for the vest he had removed and wore that over the shirt before tying his hair correctly with a length of red ribbon, vaguely Keres could make out the Clan's emblem embellished the end of it.

"Do you wish to go change or are your current clothes suitable for hunting?"

When he looked, he could see she had taken her clothes off and folded them, they didn't look too creased and she looked relatively neat. She wasn't too sure what he had in mind, she gave him an uncertain look.

"Depends what you had in mind..." Keres didn't look back to him until he spoke directly to her, as much as she didn't mind looking, his body wasn't exactly uncared for she still had a strong sense of what was right and what was wrong.

"Hunting is something personal. You must take the lead here, I'll just follow you and watch out for Masquerade breaches."

"Then no, I'm fine as I am." She picked up the jacket and scarf she had left on the table the night before and put them on carefully. Keres wasn't sure how she felt about him following her around whilst she went to hunt, it felt a bit odd since she was only ever used to Griffin watching her. Lyle sensed the hesitation in the redheaded woman, though he didn't really press her on it.

"Just do what you have to do, you won't even notice my presence.'

"I know you're watching, not exactly the same." She shrugged grumpily and made a move to leave seeing little point in delaying the inevitable but still let Lyle guide them back to the exit not wanting to get lost.

He walked outside, finding his way with little difficulty. The air was crisp as fall had begun to set in. The narrow street was the side entrance , the front entrance being the Church and not commonly used by the Clan.

"Not too close, don't worry. I won't judge you from your feeding habits as long as you get your fix." She nodded and once outside followed the small road to Rue Saint-James to see how busy it was there and try her luck at finding some easy food.

Unsurprisingly it was busy, this was an excellent place to attempt it. The long street had heavy foot traffic. Bars and cafes were spread along there, people sat outside eating, drinking and smoking. Tourists and locals alike enjoyed this place, it was hardly a hardship to find vitae here.

Before Keres realised it she was alone, Lyle had vanished and she couldn't spot him. The sudden disappearance unnerved her, how had she missed him? The thoughts were soon pushed out of her mind as Kine walked passed her with frequency. Her Beast tugged at her consciousness, demanding and unrelenting in its need for vitae.

Slowly Keres made her way along the street stopping every now and then, looking around as though she was lost and disorientated. She grasped at a lone pedestrian, mimicking life with warmth and a pulse. She stopped and looked at her, confused by suddenly being grabbed, then came the questioning look on her expression. Though she could speak fluent French she broke up her words, taking longer to decide on her words. As though she was learning the language, and hadn't much practice in using it.

"Um..can you help me please?" Hesitantly she took a step towards the Kine hoping they'd be kind enough to give her directions. Purposefully she had picked a woman who was on her own and seemed relatively healthy looking but also someone who smoked.

It didn't take long, the woman was kind enough, even offering to take Keres as she was heading that way, once alone Keres fed upon the unsuspecting Kine. She drank deep, greedily but left enough to not damage them. Without hesitation she Dominated them, making the woman forget what had happened before sending them on their way.

Keres continued like this until she finally managed to spot Lyle in the periphery of her vision. He was waiting for her on the corner of the street, he seemed bored, but he often looked like that in her opinion. He waved her over to get her to come closer and silently she complied. He lent on the wall of a building and kept his voice low to not breach the Masquerade.

"Need more?" He doesn't seem to judge about her wanting or not wanting more."I'd advise you to get as much as you can when you have the chance, since you're never sure when will be the next time.."

"Can I do the rest on my own and meet you back at the old Chantry?" He denies and makes a point of sounding like a teen who's just been scolded.

"You're sending me back? But I also deserve some fun.." He smiles as he spoke, teasing openly. "I won't watch, I'll do my own. You've got an hour."

She ignored the whiny teenage voice but acknowledged his instructions with a curt nod of her head. Without hesitation Keres moved to go the opposite way this time, the initial taste had only made her want more.

* * *

Within the allotted time she returned and knocked on the same entrance as before. It wasn't until she heard footsteps that she realised he was not in the building. As he got closer she could see his shirt had been unbuttoned, when he was finally stood next to her she spotted the lipstick stains on his neck. Another smile graced his expression and suddenly Keres was assaulted with the strong scent of perfume that seemed glued to his skin and clothes.

Keres didn't comment on his feeding habits, instead she stopped him and a bit like a mum cleaning a dirt mark off a kid licked her thumb and rubbed away the lipstick. Out of everything it was those marks that bothered her the most. Lyle remained still as she cleaned him, his smile only broadening. Idly Keres' thoughts wandered, how much fun had he had?

"Did you take enough?" He questioned her as she rubbed the sleeve of her cardigan against his skin to remove the stubborn stains that seemed glued to him.

"..Yes, I see you had a good time." There was no tone of disapproval from her, she sounds quite amused. After another moment of inspection Keres seemed satisfied she had gotten all of it rubbed off. Habitually she straightened the shirt that had been tugged away from his skin, carefully buttoning the garment back up once more. It didn't seem like the Apprentice was really thinking about what she was doing, just following habit.

When she's done fussing over him she stepped back and gave him his personal space back. She doesn't seem to notice the lipstick stained the cuff of her own clothing. Lyle remained quite passive throughout, once she stepped back she didn't even seem to care about personal space, unlike her Sire, who was much more attentive of such things, though for him it may have gone with having the education he had whilst alive.

"I like women, can't help it..." He allowed her inside, pausing in the better light as he caught a glimpse of the sleeve of Keres' cardigan.

"Women who bathe in perfume instead of water." She nodded her thanks before stepping inside once he had opened the door. Her own perfume was drowned out by the stronger scent of whoever he had been with. He can see she wrinkled her nose slightly before responding with amusement. Finally he spoke himself, changing the topic of conversation without making it seem unnatural.

"Now your clothes will need washing. You didn't need to do this, hm. I may be an old bloody wizard, I can still take care of myself." As he spoke she looked down at her sleeve passively, noting the stains for the first time.

"It's not a problem doubt it will stain...Old habits die hard I guess." She shrugged silently telling him it was something she had done many times before for people without stating it outright. Before Keres could get her brings on things he closed the door behind them and going back to their previous topic of discussion.

"I'm used to perfumes, and it has the interesting side effect of annoying other Kindred. I don't care about it. Make sure not to display such gestures in public, they may harm your credibility and used against you." As he spoke he walked her back to the ritual room nothing seemed to bother him in this place, Lyle knew it well, as they walked he did not hesitate or get lost.

"Habits can be a very powerful tool to those who wish you harm, so you'll have to be very analytical of yourself, change your habits often enough. Routine is a death sentence to Kindred."

"Huh, I'll remember that for the future. What's the point? Once you go out like that in public it's been seen no point trying to help then, I wouldn't even bother if you had turned up in Elysium like that." She nodded telling him she had taken onboard what he had said.

"I never cared for my looks, I wear a suit because it's the easiest and most comfortable considering my status." He chuckled a little, finding the situation amusing.

"Griffin's far more orthodox about all of this. I don't suppose you ever had to fix something for him like that?.. That's sweet." Lyle's tone was mocking, but the only reaction he garnered from the redhead was seeing her eyebrow hike up. The woman could act like stone when she wanted to.

"So you do care otherwise why bother with suit at all?" She tried to poke holes in his argument but he just kept on talking about her Sire.

"No, for some reason I imagine he could roll out of bed and still look as though he'd spent hours getting ready." Keres openly ignored his mocking tone, it didn't seem to rile her up at all.

"Because last time I showed up in flip flops and hawaiian shirt, I swear to God they all died a little inside." He opened the ritual room and went back to sit with a slight sigh. "He probably just shaves. Blah, the English."

Lyle seems to think that Griffin being English is good enough reason to have impeccable elegance.

"Speaking of him, what did he exactly teach you about the clan, and what did you learn in Vienna?" She followed and closed the door behind herself, she doesn't sit immediately instead she walks around the room for a bit listening until finally speaking herself.

"Trust me when I say the English have gone down hill since his day." She was not even sure if Lyle knows she's English. When he asked about Vienna she turned and took a seat though it was reluctantly.


	5. Chapter 5

"The basics I guess. Griffin seemed to have a more realistic view on things since he seemed to just tell it like it was, people in Vienna were truthful to what they taught me but I didn't really feel like I could trust their point of view." She shrugged unsure of how else to word it.

"Tssk, nostalgia is something else that you must watch out for. Now they've got electricity, running water, and, of course, the internet."

"You can trust no one, not even Griffin. Wien gives you the dogma and the idiology. Jean-Pierre gave you his experience, which is very personal, and probably pretty lucid. Each Chantry runs differently."

"I'm not that nostalgic. Mmmn I remember dial up" She smirked slightly and shrugged before continuing to speak. "Well when you ask ten people the same question and get ten very different answers from strangers I asked him. I must have racked up quite the phone bill sorry about that... In the end I just did reading in my own time and decided a lot of it was dated and probably needed revising, though I'd never tell them that and my opinions I kept to myself."

"I meant that England back then and England now are about the same. Society evolves... Most Tremere agree that the core rules need some updating, we just can't do it because of Elder Ire. Older Regents are more comfortable with the rules they grew up with; think about it this way, see how people freak out when the Academia changes a grammar rule."

He smirked and nodded vaguely before continuing to speak on the topic.

"I'm constantly asking the Tremere under my watch to speak to me about these things, which is why I asked you what they taught you. I know what they told you. How you tell me this is valuable. I'll give you my understanding of the Clan."

Keres nodded slightly, she had seen people freak out over less before now but still didn't agree with the reasons behind why it hadn't changed. To her it felt like the Clan was stuck in the middle ages, unable to move forward with their structure and regimented ways.

"In general, very basic things like the oath, the beliefs and some of the history behind it all. Some bits on Thaumaturgy and the different paths you can take with it. If you want my opinion... I would assess new Childer before sending them there not everyone takes so well to that style of teaching, it's very dictated and rigid."

"It's a necessary test for certain Childer. It wasn't made for you, and you are the one to adapt to them, not the other way around. Like school, really..." He thinks about it for a moment. "There are many reasons behind this system. I'd love to destroy the whole thing and build something new and efficient, but it's just not possible to reform a kabal of megalomaniac Kindred mages. "

"I did mention they're all nuts, didn't I?"

"...I kind of got an inkling they were. It's a bit disconcerting when you walk into a room and every time you feel like you've walked into a conversation you shouldn't be hearing between two predators that seem to want you for brunch."

"Tasty Brunch, that is." He added with a wide and meaningful smile, although certainly a bit worrying but he gave her very little time to contemplate the comment before speeding on to his next point.

"I've been Tremere for over four hundred years now. And I've had my share of being involved in the Clan. You've noticed in my Chantry we don't apply the rules exactly as they should. Like any institution, we adapt through interactions, through needs and stakes, and of course, to our feelings."

Keres shifted uncomfortably in her seat but kept the conversation going.

"Yes, I did notice the difference." This of course was an understatement, she hadn't just noticed it had come and slapped her in the face. Vienna was far from liberal, there had been times she had felt oppressed by the atmosphere never mind the individuals.

"My view on the Tremere is simple: It's just another tool to my goals. It's an institution in which we can build ourselves by knowing the rules of it. Play your cards right and the Clan will provide you everything you want. It's just another society, another company, or another church."

Keres considered his words for a minute.

"..I doubt they can give you everything you want..." Cynicism laced her tone as it often did, more so since her embrace she noted.

"They can, if you're know exactly what you want. It's all a matter of time, and a matter of what's doable. I've managed to have power, respect, wealth, peace and avoid the responsibilities that come with the rank. Claudia got the freedom as well as the protection. Tarcisus got the eternity he needed to discover new interesting objects..."

He smiled when he thought about it but continued on.

"Mikael got knowledge and an institution to work with. Corinna gets someone to serve and to be part of something bigger than her."

"In a roundabout way I got what I wanted...I don't know what else I could want from them..." Keres didn't look at him when she spoke it, she seemed very uncomfortable mentioning herself. Lyle noted it easily, but didn't care overly much.

"It's also about what you don't want. This Chantry is a little particular as I'm not your regular Regent: I don't need to appreciate someone and to give them promotions so they access certain books. But in most Chantries, you have to deserve the right to knowledge, which means cleaning the Chantry, doing errands, being manipulated by higher Apprentices, as if they fear you'll take their spot. Here, none of us want a promotion, and none of us compete for anything. This Chantry is a second zone public university, and others are like Oxford."

"I understand that, I remember what the other one was like.." She shuddered at the memories. They came unbidden and in IMAX quality, it took a moment to repress them back she almost missed what he was saying next.

"Here you won't accomplish anything but survive. On the other hand you'll have peace beyond your wildest dreams if you withdraw from Kindred society. Look at Corinna, she's just happy doing what she does and she's untouched by what happens in the city"

"I never really planned on anything... Work was my life..." She was going to say something else but stopped herself. Keres continued to look away from him, unable to make any form of eye contact.

"Then keep working. You don't need bathroom breaks anymore." He shrugged, not fully understanding her issues. "That, or drop the whole thing and become a hedonist."

She shrugged back, finding his words quite careless.

"I'll deal with this first then think on what I want."

"Do you resent Griffin for killing you?" He doesn't seem to judge one or the other, but he does seem to want an answer out of her. "You're having trouble accepting being dead?"

When he asked she seemed quite shocked by the questions, enough that it drew her attention and eye contact back to him.

"He is the only friend I have, and in some respects by killing me he saved me. So no, I don't resent him and I don't think I ever could." The response came out very candidly, even if she curbed what she really wanted to say, it was the truth but not the whole truth. Keres could easily see he had his full attention on her words, even meeting her eye contact head on but obviously weighed each and every words she spoke carefully/

"And here I was thinking he might have embraced you out of passionate love." Lyle's tone was easy to read as joking but also laced with disapproval at the same time. "Now that I've put through focus and blood control bootcamp... Your will against the Beast is just denial. Your will against other Kindred is knowing who you are and what are your goals."

Keres didn't particularly react to his joke or the fact he was disappointed, it seemed his opinion didn't carry much weight in this instance. She listened in silence for a moment before responding.

"I know who I am, and my goals will probably change over time."

"Indeed, goals change, and you can go on without a goal. Then, who are you ?"He crossed his arms, observing in detail but she was mirroring his behaviour quite well making it more difficult to read her on body language alone.

"The same person you met after I was Embraced and last night only slightly more enlightened and not so afraid of things any more."

"I didn't pay attention when Griffin came in with you.. Plus I only barely know your name and I can guess from your Sire that you enjoy books, but that doesn't tell me who you are, deep inside."

"I don't just enjoy books, I correct them, that was my job..." She thought on it for a minute before adding. "Deep inside? That's tricky since it changes depending on my circumstances and my needs."

"You seem pretty secure for someone who's just died.."

"Am I? Or is that what I want you to see?"

"Building walls around you is a good idea, but you still need to have a strong personal idea of yourself that can defend itself. Maintaining a wall around you at all times is not very efficient, especially if you do not have the means to maintain them.. when you're thirsty, when you're under stress. Yesterday you were close enough to commit suicide by wanting my blood."

"I was asking for an opinion." She thinks for another moment before continuing to speak. "Do you know the meaning of my name?"

"Greek mythology?" He was pretty quick to it, detached. A true encyclopedia, but it seemed to bore him. She nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement.

"And my surname?"

"Some anglican priest made you hold hands with Jean-Pierre."

"No," She smirked at the comment before composing herself. "I decided to take the name so I suppose it can be used to describe my inner self. It certainly would do a better job than using my first name which I didn't have a choice in."

"It means that if I say "Griffin", I'll have two people coming over. Should I label you Griffin and mini Griffin?" If he understood why she chose to take his last name, he's avoiding talking about it. She shrugged at him avoiding it also, if he couldn't figure it out for himself she wouldn't be the one to enlighten him.

"Whatever floats your boat, though you could just call me by my christian name and avoid the confusion." Keres seemed to just go with the flow of the conversation unperturbed or uncaring it was becoming much more difficult to tell which.

"I don't know if Griffin reacts to his first name now. Either way I don't call either of you often enough, I'm just being an asshole." He smiled, probably with some sincerity. His expression was quite telling when he wanted to be snide. "I use Griffin's last name, oddly because of Elysium. Before I became Regent, we never really talked when we were both Apprentices under the same Regent.

"I know, indulging you seems to be the most expedient way to get to the point. Because of Elysium?" She seemed quite curious to hear more as she shifted in her seat slightly. "I'm not sure why but I can imagine you two working well together."

"He's not involved in the Clan. His only interest is to read books for reading's sake. I keep the library partly for him; if it were just up to me, I'd give them a Kindle and study with that. The cover, the age of the paper.. It just doesn't matter to me."

"He always presented himself with his last name, for his privacy I think. Claudia is the exact opposite, she'd never present herself with just her last name."

"I should slap you for that, but eh, old books can degrade so I can see the practical side to using a Kindle. Ah, makes sense I suppose, I should have thought of that before borrowing his last name. She wants to seem friendly and approachable I guess?"

"Maybe she dislikes her last name. It's also because it's shorter and she needs affection she would not get if she presented herself with more distance. Slap me if you want, I've held Gutenberg bibles in my hands and they were nice pieces of semi artisan work. I like books as well, don't get me wrong, but for me they are just a way to store information. Now we have better tools. I know it's a delicate subject for the Clan and it's just my ideology. I promote it but if you still want to use letters and stamps after I've shown you the email or the videoconference, that's perfectly fine. I won't impose my ideology on the Chantry. I don't need more enemies!"

"I wouldn't know, not really spoken to her all that much. Gutenberg bibles? Really? Nah I was taking the piss, I've been toying with the idea of buying him one as a gift. There is something tactile about paper though. My job was made easier when they forced authors to supply electronic copies so I'm used to reading off a screen."

"Well, yeah, they were quite common back then. According to his Sire, Griffin's a specialist at finding rare books. I think he prefers manuscripts, yes, but I don't think it's possible to afford a Gutenberg bible now. And the one in the Library can't leave."

"I'm sure the Clan could, but an individual probably not. Neither could the Kindles though could they?" She seems a little sad about that.

"No, those can't leave either. Tremere secrets and all that. But you can download anything you like and copy them for your own usage, as long as they're not occult tomes."

"Have they been digitized yet?" When she asked it was very quietly.

"Anything that I came across since the 50's is in digital form."

"Epub or PDF by chance?"

"Crypted PDF files."

"Is there any possibility I can have access to them please?"

"They're all in the computers downstairs at the Hotel" He smirked, amused by her wish to acquire them. "Why so curious?"

"I like to read as well." She shrugged slightly attempting to lessen the importance of what he had told her. "And I decided if I find anything interesting I'll add it to the gift, Of course if you wish to have a look what will be on the device before I leave the Chantry I will comply."

"Don't worry, I've got an eye on the computers at all time, if you take something forbidden, I'll tell you."

"I won't take anything forbidden intentionally, though you certainly are the most amenable big brother." In a roundabout way she's making a reference to George Orwell's book 1984. Within the book Big Brother was the code for the Government within the UK that monitored its citizens. Lyle knew her type, snide humour and the occasional backhanded compliment.

"I OWN the damn Internet, kid!" He laughed and nodded. "I wouldn't have installed computers in a Chantry if I didn't have a full and perfect control on every byte."

"Yes, I was working on that assumption anyway." Keres seemed to ignore the bit about the internet far too used to male boasting and chest thumping. It did very little to move her these nights.

"Thaumaturgy is a tool to control entities of all sorts. Your own blood is the mere strength and base, as being Kindred you already have an understanding on vitae. But it also allows you to impose your will on other entities. Informatics and computers are just other items you can impose your will upon." He smiled openly, the knowledge had obviously been hard won on his part and she knew he would not share it in full. "If something has a chip, it's mine to use and control. That's how powerful our specialties can be."

"Did you make a Path?" She seems more curious how he's managed this now that it seemed more than just a brag but getting the full truth would be as possible as getting blood from a stone and she knew it.

"I'm not alone." With a meaningful smile, he nodded."Control of Fire, control of Electricity, control of matter.. movement of mind.. It all breaks down to the same core raw material : your will and your capacity to expand it on something. Especially movement of mind, which is the most visible example of this."

Keres nodded her head slightly as he spoke but she was not interested in those Paths, they had been common in most Chantries now and so useless to her.

"I haven't given the Paths much thought beyond what I'm on now, it doesn't seem like I should until I have more understanding of what I already have."

"I don't blame you. It took me centuries to gain this level of understanding. But like studies, you can't have it all right now: it's either Math or Literature, isn't it ? Make sure you control perfectly your own will, and your own blood, to be able to control others' blood. Then you'll find out that other Paths are a bit easier to master once your know your Thaumaturgy 101."

Keres grimaced slightly when he mentioned Maths.

"Potentially I have the time so I don't mind waiting."

"Excellence is a Tremere's goal. Being versatile is important, but having a special feature that no one can reproduce. Make yourself indispensable, lest you become disposable. It's why I'm still here, even if I make other Elders frown and growl. Always keep in mind that the Tremere's worst enemy is another Tremere. We kill each other far more often than Tzimisce, or Assamites kill us."

"I thought we were supposed to be unified?" By the tone of her voice she didn't sound surprised by his words.

"Against other threats, yes. But in competition for status, power, reputation.. If you're in Oxford, you'll try to get rid of other students so your teachers will only give good grades to you. It's the same in important Chantries. Except you can't sleep with your Regents, even more so, they do not ever retire. And you never graduate. And murder is just another tool. I decided this system wasn't worth the stress, so I dropped it along with our Chantry's reputation to Vienna."

"I'm sure the others were grateful. I'm assuming Tracisus had different thoughts on how to run things?"

"Tarcisus believes in social darwinism, but he was far more traditionalist: gathering every tuesday to commune, respect strictly the Chantry rules, make sure they're all "proper Tremere" and all that. I never asked for their opinion, and they never told me. Regardless, they don't die anymore, which is a good improvement. You're the first local Embrace since World War Two, oddly."

"No news is good news I think in this instance. In general or just Tremere embraces?"

"Just Tremere Embraces. Then we halved in number since the War, too. Corinna was too young, I won't embrace, Claudia won't either, and I thought Griffin would leave his blood die with him. And no Tremere wants to move here by their own choice, considering our reputation."

"Something changed for you? What is this Chantry's reputation now?"

"A third zone useless Chantry, to watch since we might turn rogue from the pyramid. Before, we were a traditional, well seen, first of the class kind of Chantry. With an acceptable death toll for Tremere Chantries."

"Ah, I see, well I don't think we have anything to hide so let them watch."

"Because you think they won't fabricate evidence to have us all blood hunted ? They will.I would." Lyle could see her smile slightly, the conversation just becoming more amusing the longer he spoke.

"When they watch us, we can watch them yes? What's to stop us playing the same game?"

"I've got enough blackmail material on my Lord so the Pyramid will leave my Chantry alone. I've got it covered." He winks with a meaningful smile. "If I must, I'll take them all down."

"Good to know you plan so far ahead." Lyle can see her try and hide her broadening smile behind the sleeve of her cardigan. How she loathed being so obvious with her feelings.

"I'm probably the guy behind the most Tremere death in the region, too, that doesn't help our reputation. Why so happy?" He's curious and he's showing it, Keres couldn't help but feel he was digging further wanting to know how exactly she worked; she didn't much like that.

"..Just something I noticed." She shrugged discarding her thought trying to compose herself back into a more neutral stand point. Of course this was a few moments too late, Lyle had already picked up on that fact.

"Hm, what is it that you noticed?" He was just asking for confirmation, interested in how she'd word out something like that to her hand came away from her face and her face had gone back to expressionless once more.

"Feel like I'm in my head again." She didn't seem to care telling him, deflecting the true reason with a different truth.

"Oh, you don't want to tell, uh? What, you think people will believe you, that I protect my Apprentices like a tiger? They'll all laugh at you if you even hint at it."He chuckled, knowing well enough what had amused her. Keres just listened for a moment, she didn't move, only taking a breath when she was about to retort.

"No, there we go, normal transmission resumed. Quite frankly I already know that so reiteration was a tad pointless." Her head cocked to the side slightly at his next thing he said.

"It's good that you've rebuilt yourself. Griffin will be glad."

"What makes you think I was sane to begin with? Or that I have rebuilt myself?"

"Nobody's sane, just embrace it and play along. You're functional, I know you're not finished understanding the whole thing, I don't expect you to."

"That was kind of the plan." She looked away again, her eye drifted to the implements within the room. "I'm not neurotic so fair assessment I suppose." Her eye fixated on the knife she assumed Lyle had used in her lessons as she spoke.

The knife was not on the table but on one of the shelves, aside, because he thought she'd frenzy on her prey; so he moved things away for safety. Keres could not find that particular item straight away.


	6. Chapter 6

"What have you understood so far, about us, about the Tremere, and about being kindred?" Kersten quizzed, barely paying her eyes much mind even if he was aware of what she was looking for.

"No matter what Tremere present a unified front, work hard, don't get caught, work for the betterment of the clan. Behind closed doors expect to get screwed even if I'm not in the way of another's goals...most of that applies to being a Kindred in general. Uphold the traditions and keep my Beast under control or suffer the consequences. Never forget I am playing a delicate tightrope walk and a misstep could prove fatal. My will and control will dictate how far I am able to learn." The reply Griffin gave him was mechanical, knowledge that had been drilled into her since she had died. It took a moment for her to spot the knife, not really looking to Lyle as she answered him.

"No matter what, don't get caught, indeed. It's allowed to work to oust a rival Apprentice or a Regent you don't like but if you do so, make sure you succeed. Vae Victis, Some find other ways to stay alive. This is the classical, regular version. If you're able to take a whole other unexpected path, do it. For instance.. Tarcisus. I had to get rid of him one way or another. Instead of handing him over for a blood hunt, or disposing of him myself, I managed for him to get a promotion. A permanent vacation if you will. The image of the clan has not changed locally, he's out of the way, and I'm not seen as a dangerous ambitious bastard."

"Doesn't he still have power that could potentially affect the Chantry and Tremere locally though?" Keres wanted to stand and get the object but restrained herself for now.

"None. Tarcisus believes in the core concept of the Clan, he believes in the Pyramid, the social darwinism. He doesn't calculate plots, politics, or anything else. He became Regent because he was the one with most Thaumaturgical skills. If he came recently, it was because he missed his precious girl, but other than familial links, there is nothing here he can do, apart from stressing the Brujah just by passing by. He has no say whatsoever on this Chantry's affairs unless someone decides they'd like to ask his opinion, trespassing the regular protocol of Apprentice, Regent, and Lord."

"I'm guessing there's some history between them?" Finally she looked back to him. "Not like I have anything to ask him."

"Tarcisus was the father figure she needed to grow. Their correspondence is futile, private and just out of politeness, it's not like either of them is capable of plotting anything on their own." He showed a visible smile as he spoke. "If they're both busy, my hands are just more free. Tarcisus is a genius for Thaumaturgical studies and he's a very competent academician. He's a terrible leader." Unlike me, he probably thinks, showing it with a certain humor. After a pause he asked:

"Is there something on your mind?"

"I meant the Brujah, whatever goes on in Claudia's private life is none of my business or my concern. Though it's adorable it's not my place to pry." Keres' expression remained passive she didn't comment on his abilities out of politeness, after all what he thought of himself was not what her Sire thought.

"Is he inclined to teach me considering the constraints on his time? I doubt it... No.." She does have something on her mind but she seems reluctant to ask for a favour.

"Oh, the Brujah ? Yeah they disliked me killing their illegal Childer under a despotic Prince. Too bad, laws are still laws." He mocks it a little, but either way he doesn't plain hate the Brujah clan.

"You're having the unique and rare luck of having me available for a few nights, and I'm only available to you. You'll be the first and probably the last to profit from it. Be frank and open with me, tell me what do you need." Keres nodded slightly accepting the limited information he gave her. When he adds in the next part she seemed surprised but can't allow it to go without comment.

"Why am I receiving special treatment?" She wasn't really certain how she felt about this and it showed slightly.

"Because I'm bored, because Griffin is worth it, because I want to marry you, because I'd like to form a proper bond with you since I can't with my Childe, because I have a great master plan for you, because it annoys the Harpy... Is it relevant ?" He didn't give more credibility to one or the other, all of it purposefully spoken to be irritating.

"You're my Regent so yes, your motives matter to me...Better question perhaps is what you expect in return for the rest of our time together since I doubt one meal covers it."

"One meals covers it." Now he's categoric about it. The tone informing her and leaving her with no more doubts.

"I do it because as of now, you're a danger to everyone, including yourself. Especially yourself. I also do it because of Griffin: a successful embrace and the survival of his choice of a Childe may motivate him a little. If you fail, he might not survive it. He's one Tremere I do not wish to destroy for treachery."

"Motivate him to do what? Ack he wouldn't be treacherous even if I did meet final death." She sighed slightly the thought of her Sire dying seemed to upset her. After a slight pause she relented and spoke her mind.

"...I was wondering if I could keep the knife..."

"He'd be so pissed off. Who knows what he's got behind that soul-stealing stare." He kept silent a moment, without even giving it a look. He doesn't seem to give it much thought, but he makes a point of having a dramatic pause after her question.

"You can if you tell me why."

"I don't think he'd be pissed..." Keres stopped herself from fidgeting in her seat as the pause drew out. "I'm not sure myself, it just feels important to me... I could hunt around online for one but I have no guarantee it will be as efficient as that one."

"You can keep it." He smiled a bit more genuinely. "Make sure to hide your attachment to objects. I saw how you wished to keep that hand. But it's a good idea, it may remind you to focus and to train your senses. You're a predator now... What else should you understand, now.." He wondered out loud, thinking more for himself than her.

"...Thank you." She relaxed by an increment, he could even see a slight smile pull at her lips though it was short lived when he mentioned the hand. A sour memory that just seemed to stick in her mind without ever leaving her be. "My inability to act had consequences, even if all I had done was spoken up it potentially could have helped but instead I did nothing that's why I wanted to keep the hand..." She seems angry with herself but is doing a poor job hiding it at the moment.

"Keep it as a close and personal memory, behind walls and walls of thoughts. Objects are just objects. As for that specific situation, if you'd acted or spoken, you'd be dead-deader. Either way if you keep asking yourself "what if", after ten, twenty, thirty, eighty years, you'll be too doubtful to have a proper will. Own your decisions."

"True enough, I cannot change what took place..." He nodded in agreement.

"Let it sit somewhere, but do not turn it around and poke the wound open, if you see what I mean."

"Yes I understand. You believe I would keep over analyzing it."

"It'll mostly show weakness to your enemies, and will deprive you of focus."

"Do I have enemies yet?"

"Yes. You're a Tremere. The whole city wants you dead, they just don't show it."

"Why? I didn't choose my Clan any more than they did."

"Being Tremere is a special burden. In public, we all act as one, remember, and we master a special and powerful tool that no one is able and allowed to control."

"Others must know you give us much more leeway than other Chantries though.."

"Nah let them think I torture kittens. They know the Chantry has changed, and they know I'm not my Sire. But anyone teaching Thaumaturgy to others will suffer, and I still respect Wien's rules." Lyle could see her shudder slightly at the idea of him making someone else suffer, it was obvious she fully believed him to be capable of making it excruciatingly painful.

"If you didn't we'd all be fucked."

"No "ifs". But yes, coping with being Kindred is hard enough, but being Tremere only adds to the difficulty."

"I'm sorry..I wasn't questioning your loyalties.."

"Don't worry. There's no reason why would anyone find out about what happens here, is there?"

"I'm not worried about that, I don't want to offend you."

"Pffeh like if something could offend me." He seemed to believe so and chuckleg about memories long past.. "Don't worry I've been called every name of the book. Still didn't care."

"Perhaps, however, I'm taking up your valuable time and I do not wish to seem ungrateful.."

"One meal is worth it..." Now he's more serious about it, being repetitive was getting old. Lyle could see her eyebrow quirk up, she found it odd he'd stressed it so much when she wasn't even thinking about it. She gave him a slight smile and inclined her head in agreement.

"I know, you said." As she spoke Keres tugged her sleeves down covering her hands but he could still see she fidgeted them under the material.

"Plus it's not like anything could offend me." He poke with an arrogant level of pride in his tone. "I don't need your thanks, so just accept this as a fair exchange. You learn as much as you can, and in exchange you stay safe, you don't endanger the Chantry, and you become a neutral if not a positive force for the Clan."

"And what would you say is a positive force for the Clan beyond surviving, showing a unified presence in public and keeping the Masquerade?" As she spoke she looked down at her hands, Lyle couldn't see but he could probably have an educated guess that she was playing with the broken rosary coiled around her wrist.

"Working for the general Clan interest, regardless of Apprentice rivalries. Transfer boons you may earn to the Clan. Give a good image, be useful to other Clans but remember your priorities.. Here, other Apprentices won't bother you, but other Chantries may have a stronger rivalry between Apprentices to earn the Regent's favors.

She looked slightly confused for a moment, as though the thought she would have kept the boons for herself was an alien concept. The whole rivalry thing was also disconcerting, how the hell could people get anything done with that hanging over their heads like a an axeman gearing up to swing at their necks.

"Well if you know anyone needing stuff edited point them to me, though I'm not sure how often that crops up...Not really sure how else I can be useful. Ah, I never was much good at kissing arse to get what I needed."

"Think a bit broader.. Your skills can go a bit further than your former work. You can teach these idiots how to properly use a computer. If only they'd all communicate through email.. You can certainly run errands with other Kindred, helping them by offering them some of your contacts to use. But also remember not giving it all to the Clan for the Clan's sake. Sometimes the clan needs to be protected from itself."

Lyle offered viable options, none of which she really fancied doing, but she would, if it just meant being left to her own devices. Keres often wondered how Griffin managed to find productivity in this existance.

"I function best with occupation, preferably a lot of it, my life fell to shit as soon as that went out of the window as Kine..." Keres patted her pockets until she found her pen and small notepad she scribbled something down and handed it over to him; when he read it, it turned out to be her email address.

Lyle took the email, briefly checked it, and put it in one of his pockets. "As far as i've noticed, Griffin doesn't do much of his nights. Stay close to him. and it'll help out chill out a little. Eventually."

"Probably a good idea, he kind of kept me sane-ish when I had so much less work..." Keres gave very little though, she did not really feel comfortable with the prying.

"He's not the kind to open up and talk though, so don't expect much from him apart from company. At least that's how I see him. Maybe he's different with mortals." Keres watched Lyle for a long moment in silence, the look she gave him was as though she was weighing up how much to tell him.

"His demeanor to me never changed, however, I don't treat him the same as you do.."

"Well he probably didn't put a knife in your eyes.. twice. While you're naked on a wall. I mean I think he probably has another idea of what's sexy, hm?" He seemed to think about it a moment, amused.

"I don't need to know his secrets and his behavior. I know deep down.." He lowers the voice, looking around, like if telling an unspeakable truth. "deep down, he's a good guy"

"No, can't say he has. maybe if I asked really really nicely, though I doubt it." Lyle could hear the sarcasm in her tone, even if her expression remained passive at his joke. "So are you, you like to pretend you aren't and you do the things that others maybe can't or won't do but deep in that withered soul it's true. You do us many favours and receive very little thanks." She had leant in as well, as though she told him a big secret as well.

"I don't need thanks. I don't need fame or any kind of recognition for my actions." Lyle seemed not have an ego problem, he's merely better but it was a lie, his ego was big and healthy just as when he was alive. "And I'm not nice, I choose the most profitable path for my own goals. By having my Apprentices be free to study and do whatever they'd like, and showing them there's nothing they can do to earn my favors, they grow not to have any status expectations from the Clan, leave me alone, and don't want my job. They run free and I profit from their actions, someway or another. Plus, I enjoy telling my Lord to go fuck himself (in a clan-nishly acceptable way, of course). I've destroyed without blinking anyone standing in my way, Tremere or not. "

"You may not, but personally I want to. You're oversimplifying the game you play, there are risks otherwise every Chantry would be like this one by now."

"I'm too full of myself to let Lords on power trips to try and tell me how should I get high on my own." All of it was spoken with a smile that barely contained itself. "Some Tremere do need the recognition, the respect and stuff. I don't. And many Regents do wish to maintain their Apprentices as useful servants they can order around. I'd rather do things myself, after all, I'm smarter than being the evil mastermind that delegates.."

"And when your Apprentices don't do as you plan?" Eventually she leant back again, the thought of being a part of those machinations was almost as terrifying as being forced into submission by the higher ups of the Pyramid.

"I don't count on them to do anything according to my plan. Plus, I can dominate them if I really need something specific.."

"So you don't trust them to follow instructions?" This conversation just seemed to lace her with even more cynacism than she already felt in the pit of her soul, if she even still had a soul.

"I don't give instructions apart from general don'ts. You'd think I could sit in front of Griffin and tell him I want him to do something he doesn't want to do. He'd stare right at me and then say "no"."

"Depends on what you ask and how you phrase it to him..."

"Too much hassle. I'd rather make my plans according to how my Apprentices usually act, and not force them to act according to my plans. It leads to revolutions and I'd rather not wipe out the entire Chantry by authoritarian excess." He'd be totally willing to do it, if needed but it was obvious at the moment everything was going according to plan. He smirked at her now, the true monster visible in his eyes. He considered his words for another moment before he continued.

"Actually I make my plans according to myself only. If their actions favor me, then good. And I make sure that whatever they do doesn't go against my interests anyway."

Keres shrugged, she didn't seem to have any feelings on how he ran things either way. It seemed that for her the discussion was purely hypothetical and explorative on her side whilst his responses she took almost as fact.

"Were you always this confident?"

"Yes." Not even a single doubt. Lyle's response far too quick to be a lie. "But only when I'm not sober."

"Why only then?"

"Because when I'm sober I tend to be despicable." He shrugged vaguely and spoke uncaring and distant. Obviously he's joking, or at least she hoped so. "I gotta drown my feelings somewhere, right?"

"As long as it doesn't cloud your judgement."

"It does, that's the point of getting high. But don't worry, Sober-me planned it all along."

"That sounded almost Malkavian."

"No wonder I embraced Claudia, then." He chuckled, the redhead was getting more and more entertaining by the moment.

"After few centuries you'll learn to cope with existence some way or another. I chose drugs. And the internet."

"I thought that was just to get one up on the Clan?" She thought for a moment before adding: "Seen worse coping mechanisms." In her head she wondered if Lyle ever snooped at her browsing history. She had nothing to hide but the invasion of her privacy was offensive.

"Nah I did that because Tarcisus was getting on my nerves. So I took her so he'd stay busy for a while. Plus she was better off being a Tremere experiment than a Malkavian one."

"Probably, but she doesn't seem to like being Tremere either." Or at least from what she had seen of her that was the impression Keres got.

"I think deep down she knows it was the least worse of the outcomes she could have had. But let me be clear if you find someone who likes being Tremere, those are the most dangerous ones."

"Why's that?"

"Because they're the most insane" Keres remained silent for a long moment thinking over his response.

"So why remain?" It's a genuine question, she's not really seen the darker side of the Clan with exception to the cruel behaviour of the other Chantry and the effect it had on the Gargoyle population. She also has yet to truly be embroiled within Kindred politics; in a way she's still quite innocent.

"You don't choose your Clan. Not remaining means turning Anarch or Sabbat, which is part of the definite don'ts that will earn you an immediate sunrise. You don't seem to see the full spectrum of it, am I right?"

She nodded in understanding of Lyle's don't list, she believed he wouldn't hesitate in leaving her to meet a sunrise if she did break the rules. At his question she shook her head slightly unsure of how else to respond to him.


End file.
